


road to ruin

by v0ltaire



Series: don’t read this [1]
Category: My Chemical Romance, Panic! at the Disco
Genre: Alternate Universe, Not!Fic, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 19:48:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19116511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/v0ltaire/pseuds/v0ltaire
Summary: notfic about g and patd on a roadtrip because i had the idea and didn't know how to write it so this happened, from june 2018





	road to ruin

Ok so Gerard is like, in Vegas for some reason? Well there is a reason, and we’ll get to that but it it’s not— there’s a reason he’s so far away from home but nothing really specifically ties him to Vegas, it could be Chicago, this could have been geetrick but that’s for another time, SOOOO Gerard is in Vegas, kind of just walking on the side of the freeway looking for a ride

He’s got a backpack and a whole lotta nerves, he manages to get a decent way out from the city before a shitty little sedan or some shit picks him up and guess who the fuck it is, (well who else is from Vegas and vaguely alternative? don’t talk about the killers, stop it, they’re not real) it’s Panic! (Like literally ‘!’ And also literally ‘!’) ... (I hope you read that ‘!’ As a low guttural grunt)

They’re all young, like proper 18/19 young and they aren’t a band or maybe they are they’re just running away for a reason that I haven’t thought of or care to think of, coincidence coincidence, they pick Gee up and he’s all holed up behind the passenger and it really is this shitty tiny little car and so his knees brush against Ryan (who’s in the middle) whether he likes it or not

Spencer’s driving and Brent’s in the back and Brendon’s in the passenger and he asks all about Gerard, OOOH WHATS YOUR NAME? I LIKE YOUR HAIR ITS COOL WHERE ARE YOU FROM? OH NEAT IVE NEVER BEEN THERE, SWEET YKNOW LIKE UHH GARDEN STATE? IS THAT IT? WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE? Ohhhhh  
And Gerard just kinda sweats and nods along like he doesn’t mind but he really just wants to ignore everyone and die, which honestly same, but he’s in the middle of a redemption arch where the first half will never be expanded on so he just makes the idle conversation like he doesn’t mind

An hour passes or something and Gee kinda has to pee really bad, so they go into a McDonald’s that’s conveniently on the side of the road and all switch seats so when he comes back he’s the one driving and it’s later in the evening  
eventually everyone but Spencer falls asleep and it’s super dark out so Gerard takes that opportunity to switch on the radio kinda quiet and flips it to some weird classical French station so Spencer asks, hey what song is this? And Gerard shits himself in surprise as he swerves the car halfway off the road which wakes everyone up, naturally

Gerard’s like, oh fuck! sorry I didn’t mean to do that Spencer scared me, but Ryan with his stupid fucking Bob is kind of irked from being woken up so he’s all, I don’t believe you I think you’re a hazard to this family and yourself hand over the wheel, so they switch and Gerard takes passenger because Ryan wants to lecture him about road safety

Ryan’s all, Keep your eyes on the road young padawan, and Gerard just takes it because he’s kind of indebted to them for picking him up at all but he still thinks this is total bullshit, Ryan’s just talking and talking until Brendon pipes up from the back with this dumb fucking shit eating grin on his face and he says, Excuse me?  
Ryan’s like, yeah wot m8

Brendon, Hey, it’s Gerard right? *squeaky door hinge sound effect as G nods* Great, how old are you?

And Gerard’s thinking to himself like yeah slick kid, and he says all nonchalantly like, uhhh 28

And Ryan’s just like, fuck off you’re totally like 17 or something and Gerard’s like, lol no I’m not but thanks, all bashful

And then they don’t talk for the whole night

In the morning they switch off again but Gerard hasn’t slept so he’s just like fuck can we stop somewhere and everyone buys a coffee or chips or something but G buys like 3 to-go large cups and a redbull king can or something and everyone’s like, hey man u ok?

He’s like, yeah I’m chill what the fuck are you talking about? With an armful of caffeine and a shaky cigarette as he blinks one eye at a time hawtly

Gerard asks Ryan where they’re going one day, cos it’s been like a week heading east and everyone’s totally best friends now, Ryan’s like oh we’re going to New York to join a commune of artists and that opens conversation about like what the fuck is that and also me too neat

Gerard gravitates more towards Spence and Ryan thru the trip cos they’re not volatile like Brent or Scattered like Burden, I wanted originally for there to be a weird little bond specifically with Spencer but I don’t know how to like, DO that, and after some thought I think G and Ryan might get along better because like *withdrawn writer type with a quirky sorta wistful outlook* but Ryan would be totally put off by the sci-fi and horror and comics, AT First, it’d grow on him tho, mostly I think they’d bond over a mutual appreciation for Morrissey and late 90s indie and listen— I have some THOUGHTS about Ryan Ross and new wave/post punk (don’t take that slash the wrong way, not the same thing or interchangeable iknowiknow but I digress)

We all know he’s a huge slut for the Beatles and vintage shit, like don’t tell me he didn’t wanna suck John Lennon off in front of Paul while Yoko and Linda begrudgingly took photos, cyute is what that is, but also just like Radiohead and Smashing Pumpkins and Blink and other influences so I find it hard to believe he wouldn’t be at least somewhat interested in the 80s and he’s so not going for Pete Burns, Culture Club, or The Cure soooo like Smiths it is and listen There are some parrrrrallels in lyricism here and I don’t even need to touch on G’s aching leaking fluttery fucking hardon for Moz ok? we’re done here

My favourite part of this is the visual of these dumb kids running away from their problems with the guy who’s doing the opposite of that  
so they’re like, still in the desert low on gas and it’s night so the car is parked on the side of the road cos fuck that and Brent’s asleep but G, B, Ross, and Spencer are still awake in a weird little circle facing each other and passing around some hawt dope (yeet420)

Brent’s like passed out ON Spencer but no one says anything it’s cool and they’re like talking and getting all deep and getting to know each other and the topic is like Motive and because it’s Gerard he’s all helpful and consoling and fatherly — the dad that will still smoke up with his kids it’s not weird

So Ryan’s like, I left college to pursue this dumb crazy thing and I’m actually really scared but I feel like I can’t say anything

And Brendon’s all, Man why’d you think that? It’s okay to be scared, I wanna puke all the time cos I’m nervous to shit about like ordering food sometimes you’re fine we’ve got you

And Spencer’s like, yeah actually I’ve felt the same way I know it’s been and gonna be a lotta fun but it’s so scary when you really think about how fucking young we are what the fuck

And Gerard’s all, I was a little older than you guys when I left home but I remember that feeling

Brendon asks, well how old WERE you? where’d you go?

And Gee’s kind of hesitant but he says, I was 24, fresh out of college and feeling hopeless, my relationships were going to shit and I felt lost so I went and left because I thought it would be better for everyone else in my life and I took off to well, Nevada, actually...

And Brendon’s like, fuck dude that’s so emotional

And Gerard’s like, not really, sometimes you need change, sometimes you need to set up opportunities for yourself and that’s good, it teaches you how to build success

And everyone’s like yeah fucken amen and immediately fall asleep  
When they wake up in the morning they can’t find the car keys and when they do the engine smokes and the thing starts beeping and Spencer’s like, fuck I thought we just needed gas

And Brent speaks for the first time ever with like, well whatever we were fucked regardless awesome

Luckily they all only had back packs and their guitars were in gig bags but Spencer cries a little cos he barely managed to fit his kit in the first place and now they have to leave it, they’re like five steps down the road when Gerard is like, fucken wait does anyone have a phone? And they all shrug amongst themselves because yeah but none with any battery left and Gerard’s like, great the one time I have a good idea so theyre kinda just at odds not really knowing how far away anything is so they’re just sitting on the side of the road

It’s hours before another vehicle passes them but luckily it stops and the couple inside happens to be nice enough to take a look, part of me wants them to be a super butch motor-cycle-gang-esque middle aged gay couple who are like, “Well what seems to be the problem boys?”

And Gerard is immediately like, I fucking love you ahem ahem, “oh just y’know low on gas and then the hood kinda smoked up in our faces, You can’t even begin to imagine how scary it was, heavens,” flipping his hair over his shoulder and like leaning against the side of the car as the other dudes open it up

B, S, B, and R are all, what the fuck this is hilarious as they watch G make a horrible flirty mess of himself but the older couple don’t seem to mind or pickup on how stupid he looks, they like play into it even but unironically and Ryan nudges Brendon all hushed like, they’re so old this is ridiculous and Bden and Brent are just fucking losing it probably still kinda high

The couple manages to fix whatever it is so that it starts but that doesn’t fix the gas problem so they offer to pick up a gas can in exchange for like, lunch money? Idk this whole thing is totally unlikely whatever

So that happens and G like, goes with them leaving the Children to their own devices and shit’s kinda fucked from there while they’re alone cos they’re like, they put all their stuff back into the trunk and just kinda hang out outside still and it takes a little longer than they were expecting AND HERE IS A TWIST 4 YOU

Another car pulls over to see if they’re ok and GUESS WHO THE FUCK IT IS it’s mikeyway (are you sufficiently twisted yet fuck I think I’m so clevver)  
So Mikey’s like, on his way to surprise Gee for his birthday or some shit and remember they’re still not very far out from Vegas because what’s a timeline so it’s not totally unlikely and obviously both parties are completely oblivious and maybe actually definitely Ray is with him so they pull over and are all, hey you ok?

And Ryan’s like, yeah thanks for stopping tho we had someone offer to drive one of us to go get a gas can which is kind of weird but we’re dumb and useless  
And Ray’s like, oh cool so there’s six of you? That’s a tight squeeze

And Brendon’s all, what the fuck do you mean by that *squint* but actually he’s thinking it so he didn’t say it out loud and that might be confus— you get it

They’re all like concerned and weirdly friendly for some reason, maybe like universe~intuition, and Mikey let’s slip that they’re on a mini road trip themselves to go see his brother called Gerard because names and convenIENCE and Spencer’s like wait, where you from?

And Ray’s all giggly like, New Jersey Why?

And They all LOOK at each other and Brent says, yo what the fuck lol

And Mikey’s like nervous, haha what the hell are you laughing about?

And Ryan’s like, (why are they talking in turn like this) Actually the guy we sent to get Gas is called Gerard of New Jersey

And Ray’s all, what a neat coincidence haha

And Mikey’s like, what does he look like?

And Spencer kinda lists like, Greasy Black Hair Kinda Tall Kinda Girly but Kind of Intimidating and Cool

And Ray and Mikey are like, oh what the fuck WHAT THE FUCK why didn’t he say anything????¿ what’s happening SO THEY wait it out with the disco bois and when Gee gets dropped off all disheveled and giggly he doesn’t even notice anything different

Gerard’s like, Hey Guys I got Gas who’s Tol and Hairy over here ohmYGoD and like immediately starts crying and they hug and it’s beautiful, and Mikey’s like, why the fuck didn’t you tell us you were coming back we could’ve paid for your plane ticket whatever you needed and Gee’s like no shut up just hold me fam

So they hug and hug and hug some more and Panic! is like well bye bye new friend and the atmosphere kind of quiets and Gerard’s like, this is my brother and best friend from 6 years ago and Ray hits him cos he’s like ‘from 6 years ago fuck you haha laugh tear of joy’

So they part Ways )hahahahahim12( and decide to drive back to Vegas to hit up an airport instead of inefficiently scaling cross nation by automobile, which begs the question why would Gerard not just fly in the first place but you might remember that thing about Redemption Arch and ‘We’d pay for your Ticket’ he’s kind of poor because he’s convinced himself he needs to repent and make things right with everyone which is why he’d rather suffer and go on a big epic pilgrimage but Mikey’s psychic or just really good at timing things

Initially the idea was to have the bulk of the story BE the road trip with patd but honestly I don’t know what else I’d do with them and this really is unrealized wow wtf

So Anyway they fly into uh... Belleville I guess? Does Belleville have a fucking airport? I only know about the One in Newark, what’s a Jersey?  
So they fly home and everyone knows that like, Mikey and Ray went to go Hang but they didn’t think G would come back (he’s dramatic and said he’d never show his face again sorry mom yes we can skype) so it’s Big Surprise when he walks in the door and literally his mom starts exploding tears and so does he and then Mikey and Ray do too and they all jumphug and it’s so good

Donna... Mom, God it’s dawning on me how fucked this is, MOM is like OH HONEY LET ME SEE YOUR FACE YOURE HAIR WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE COME INTO THE KITXHEN AND SIT DOWN let’s have a drink babe

Nd Gee’s like fuck I missed this, So Ray goes home and obviously Mikey would have his own place maybe he’s married? Idk, Maybe he’s a Talent Skout? That’s a common one, doesn’t matter so they’re sitting at the table just kind of talking and basking in the awe of like wow it’s been 6 fucking years since he’s been in this state let alone the same room as each other

Mom asks like, how long are you here for? Just visiting, gasp... honey are you moving home??

And Gerard sort of stutters like, I’d really really like to yeah but I don’t know is that okay?

And Mom laughs and kind of hits him in the shoulder like, obviously why would you ask that your room is just how you left it downstairs

And it is but the bed and clothes he left behind are clean and folded and he makes his bed and he lays down and he cries again because what the fuck was he doing so far away for so long??

And so by now you probably have two questions, but before I ask them for you and answer them I’d like to thank you for reading up to this point/ So the questions: What did Gee do that he had to run away from? Where the fuck is Frank? And listen, I don’t know BUT

uhhhhh

So the Big Bad’ll be first, I think the idea is he like he struggled with addiction real real bad but he wasn’t working cos he came back home for the summer after Gradding and he felt kinda helpless, can we assume 9/11 didn’t happen? No of course not that’s dumb this is totally reality, but we can assume in this scenario he spirals into a weird cycle of semi-depression where he’s working at a gas station while living at home still and there’s just this big ugly tug in his heart of like, i’m fucking useless and a waste of space jesus chrome

Eventually he decides Okay, I am a burden on everyone and my family and my friends, I’m gonna move across the country, get clean, and immerse myself in art, yes ok  
So he does that and it works mostly, he still uses on the odd occasion but it’s mostly code he still has a huge reverse-ego and so self loathing just becomes Too Much sometimes yk?

A big part of the appeal is That Redemption Arch Tho, i keep mentioning it so I’m thinking maybe originally it was the whole feeling like a burden thing that got him so down but as he progressed further in life away from his loved ones he felt bad that he shut them out so he just kept letting it build up so now he’s tryna like make up for being a recluse for over half a decade which sparks  
Reunion Party: But! it doesn’t happen for a good period after he’s been home and settled back into the swing o things, so he gets his own place and is like ok let’s invite everyone over for no reason

Guess who gets a call from, it’s Ryan Ross who’s like “hey we’re finally in the area, can we come visit maybe??” and Gee’s like uhh yes right now come hang u sweet lil beans  
So they make it in time for the party and it’s the Panic Gang, the Mychem Gang, ma and pa, aunt marie, extended family and friends, and the awkward begins because ok Franker’s late

And when he gets there he’s the centre of attention at the door because G opens it ok, and there’s our boi all short and old looking nothing like G remembers and he’s got them tats and the long hair and he looks really sad and he’s got a bouquet of flowers and Gee’s just like “oh you” and they hug and it’s sweet cos here’s the thing  
This Man, Franko got real mad at Gee before he left because he was going so far away and then they never apologized before he went so they were all “ugh i hate em but i miss em” for the whole time and maybe G sent letters home once in a while but not to Frank

Moiki’s like “oh there you are” cos they were a lil strained too and it’s just this really nice reunion and maybe Ray brings desert and maybe Brendon eats it all and dies in the bathroom from overeating and when the rents and fam go home it’s the mcr and the patd in all one big sleepover and they tell stories about the road and some sketchy people they picked up after G and how weird the coincidence was that they ran into each other at all  
in the end panic does get to new york and they can afford like, one night in a hotel before they’re back in the car and eventually they get a little 2 bed in Queens and they all work weird little specific jobs in like local grocery deli book store shops

Also i guess gordon works on his like, relationships,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and finds some semblance of happiness whatever that is who cares 

I feel like there should be some sort of romantic plot but i couldn’t be goddamn damned if i’m honest or maybe i am i don’t know, basicaLLY this is the worst idea ever and i’ll never fucking write it bye  



End file.
